China to pay a 'big price' for spreading COVID-19 globally: Trump
Washington: US President Donald Trump has warned that China will have to "pay a big price" for the spread of coronavirus globally.
Less than 50 hours after he returned to the White House from a military hospital where he was treated for the deadly virus, Trump in a video posted on Twitter from the Rose Garden outside the Oval Office blamed China for the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The deadly coronavirus originated from the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year and spread across the world, killing 1,054,674 and infecting 36,077,017. The US is the worst-hit nation with 211,793 deaths and 7,549,429 infections.
"It wasn't your fault that this happened. It was China's fault. And China's going to pay a big price for what they've done to this country. China is going to pay a big price for what they've done to the world. This was China's fault. Just remember that," Trump said in the video message.
Though the president did not give the details of the measures, in recent months the Trump administration has initiated several actions against China, including imposing visa restrictions on the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials. Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have also been reaching out to their counterparts across the world against China.
Trump, 74, and First Lady Melania Trump, 50, were tested positive for COVID-19 last week. The president was taken to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre for treatment, while the First Lady remained at White House. After four days, Trump was discharged from the hospital on Monday.
On Wednesday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee released its final report on the origins of COVID-19.
"The big takeaway should come as no surprise: China actively lied to the World Health Organisation and did their best to cover up the virus, Congressman Brian Mast claimed.
"China's total lack of transparency and mishandling of the coronavirus outbreak has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, millions of jobs and left untold economic destruction. Sadly, this isn't new behaviour for China. The CCP has a long history of manipulation and it's well-past time we hold them accountable for their crimes. Together, we must ensure that nothing like this ever happens again!" he said.
Relations between Washington and Beijing have spiralled downward since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. US President Donald Trump has questioned the Asian powerhouse's handing of COVID-19.
The two countries have also sparred over China imposing a new national security law in Hong Kong, restrictions on American journalists, treatment of Uyghurs Muslims and security measures in Tibet.
Meanwhile, Senator Rick Scott in a letter to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has urged to immediately consider and pass his resolution condemning the gross human rights violations in China.
Underlining that over one million Uyghurs are being held in concentration camps in China and Hong Kong residents are being arrested and denied the basic rights they were promised, Scott in his resolution had urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to move the 2022 Games out of China.
Congressman Brett Guthrie, a top Republican on House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, on Wednesday introduced the 'Beat China by Harnessing Important, National Airwaves for 5G Act of 2020' or the 'Beat CHINA for 5G Act of 2020'.
The key to faster, expanded internet service is 5G technology. Innovators across the US are working hard to harness this technology to provide better internet quality to Americans -- and we have to get this technology before China does.
"The Beat CHINA for 5G Act will allow the US to access spectrum, a critical resource necessary for internet innovation, so we can build this technology on our own without depending on the Chinese," Guthrie said.
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Student accuses company of duping her with part-time job offer; Kadri Police file case
Mangaluru: Kadri Police have filed a case against Vexon Company of Kudroli in the city for allegedly duping students with an offer of part-time employment.
The complainant, learned to be a student, has cited the names of Vexon Company founder Digvijay Desai, co-founders Ramachandra Shevale, Sunil Savanth and Anan Ahair, Mangaluru unit staff members Pallavi, Anjali, Navya, Nivish, Jayashri and Junaid. She has accused these people of having given false information to students and other job aspirants to gain their trust and then duping them.
In January, the complainant reportedly received a call from Navya, who offered a part-time job from 2 pm to 5 pm, for a pay of Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 a month. Navya also said that the applicant would have to pay Rs 2,500 for the software, data entry and residence and food that would be provided during training.
Finding the offer agreeable, the student paid the said amount and joined the company as a trainee, reportedly along with other job aspirants. She was told to ensure business with client companies, purchase of things worth Rs 51,000 from other companies and get more employees for the company. She was assured of a commission if she turned successful in the work.
The complainant is said to have told the police that a man identified as Nivesh paid her Rs 51,000 through Google Pay, but the items handed to her by the company were substandard. In addition, while initially she was told the work would be on software and data entry, she was later not only brainwashed to act as they demanded but also harassed mentally by forcing her to get others to join the company. She was also forced to sign on the records of the company, the complainant has told the police.
